In and around Brussels

X:Brussels

Brussels, the federal capital of Belgium, lies at the crossroads of Europe and is arguably the capital of Europe. Both NATO and the EU has chosen to make this city their home, which has made Brussels a haven for expatriates of all nationalities and one of the most international cities in Europe. (Unfortunately, this has also led to urban sprawl, rising property prices, and the like...)
Seeing as Mechelen is only 20 minutes or so to Brussels (on the train), we go there quite frequently (and our church is right on the outskirts of Brussels, so it is an easy Sunday afternoon trip into Brussels). Below is a small tour of some of our favorite parts of Brussels.

First, the X:Atomium, built for the 1958 World's Fair. It now houses exhibitions, a restaurant, and, of course, some great views of Brussels.

Next stop - Brussel's X:Grand Place, one of the most beautiful and well known squares in all of Europe. Here is where the Stadhuis (City Hall) and the King's House both lie (though now partially converted into a museum and the tourist office). Here are two views of the square, one during the day and one at night (at Christmas time, when the square is converted into a Nativity scene (with live sheep even) and the whole area is alight).

But wait! Here is the other side of the Grand Place, but how did John get so tall? And can we see Brugge's Belfry in the background? And why, above, are the trees so tall in the middle of Brussels? Welcome to X:Mini Europe, a collection of scale reproductions of famous buildings from all around Europe.

Or is it??

And, of course, what would mini-Europe be without a few buildings from Paris? The Arc de Triomphe on the left, and Sacre Coeur on the right.

Here, however, is a true scene of what is arguably Brussel's most famous child, the X:Mannekin Pis. It is still a mystery to us that such a statue is the symbol of Belgium - however, at least to John, the appeal of the statue is unmistakable...

More scenes from nearby the Grand Place - on the right, the Rue des Bouchers, a thin narrow street just to the North of the Grand Place, packed with restaurants and very popular, especially with tourists. The street is a riot to walk down at night, as all the multilingual maitre d's try to lure into their restaurants with promises of great meals and child friendly arrangements. On the left, a robot/statue who is very popular, especially with certain little boys.

And, finally, a humorous view of Brussels from this past summer, when artfully decorated cows were placed all over the city, then auctioned off for charity. This one was in the Galeries Hubert, a posh shopping mall near the Grand Place. The picture includes Lynn Hooker, a friend who came to visit during the summer.

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